"No, sir, there was nawt."
"Why the hell couldn't you say that before?" muttered the politician. "You're sure there was not?" he added. "Was there a catch undone?"
"Never mind about the catch," broke in Collop. "Time'll show that doesn't matter."
"There wasn't a window open, sir, at all, till I opened one, sir," said the Boy, "to let in Gawd's fresh air—which is orders."
"Oh, you did open one then?" said his master.
"Yes, sir!" said Ethelbert, still at attention.
"Ah! Now we're getting on!" said Collop. "That's what I always said. A winder was opened! Eh? A winder was opened! Now you mark me," he went on, turning to his host and tapping the palm of his round left hand with the stubby forefinger of his right. "That's another clue. A winder was open."
"Don't you dare say I touched it!" from the distraught Ethelbert.
"You shut yer mouth, boy," answered Collop without courtesy. "Tell him to shut his mouth, sir—tell him plain. He's distracting me."
"But there's some on us," went on Ethelbert desperately, refusing to shut that mouth, "as might speak if we knew...."